1981 New Jersey Senate election


The 1981 New Jersey Senate elections were held on November 3. The New Jersey legislature reapportioned its state legislative districts in advance of the 1981 election. The new districts resulted in many senators running for re-election in newly re-numbered districts. The election coincided with a tightly contested gubernatorial election between Thomas Kean and James Florio. Republicans gained five seats, narrowing the Democratic majority to 22–18. Democrats flipped districts 10, 14, and 15, while Republicans flipped districts 9, 12, 13, 21, 26, 34, 38, and 39.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation resulted in the retirements of Senators Joseph A. Maressa and Angelo Errichetti, both of whom accepted bribes from the FBI under the guise of Arab oil sheikhs. Errichetti was convicted; Maressa was not prosecuted but opted to retire.
Contents
Incumbents not running • Summary of results
By District: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40

Incumbents not running for re-election

Democratic

Republican

Summary of results by State Senate district

Close races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
  4. gain
  6. gain
  8. gain
#

District 1

The first district consisted of all of Cape May County and the Cumberland municipalities of Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Upper Deerfield, Deerfield, and Maurice River. Prior to redistricting, it had contained all of Cumberland County.
Incumbent Senator James Cafiero retired.

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 2

The second district consisted of Atlantic County except for the municipalities of Folsom, Buena, and Buena Vista, which were removed in redistricting. Redistricting also removed Bass River and [Washington Township, Burlington, New Jersey|Burlington County, New Jersey|Washington] in Burlington County and Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor in Ocean County.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 3

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm

General election

Candidates

  • D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm
  • Raymond Zane, incumbent Senator

District 4

Democratic primary

Candidates

This primary was a rematch of the 1979 Assembly election, in which Dalton and running mate Dennis L. Riley, who ran with the support of Congressman Jim Florio, unseated Gewertz and Francis J. Gorman, who had the support of Camden mayor and State Senator Angelo Errichetti. Each candidate had the support of their respective county party; Dalton in Camden and Gewertz in Gloucester.

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 5

Democratic primary

Candidates

Unlike the neighboring fourth district, both Assemblymen Rand and Schuck were considered allies of Errichetti and shared a legislative office. Their friendly relations were maintained throughout a "kid-gloves" campaign, despite the close margin.
Ultimately, Florio struck an alliance with Rand which propelled him over the top as Florio ran up large numbers in the gubernatorial race.

Republican primary

Candidates

  • John H. Lyons Jr.

General election

Candidates

District 6

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • James Greenberg

General election

Candidates

  • James Greenberg
  • Lee Laskin, incumbent Senator since 1978

District 7

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Michael J. Conda

General election

Candidates

District 8

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Raymond J. Storck

General election

Candidates

District 9

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 10

All of the new tenth district had previously been contained within the boundaries of the ninth district in Ocean County. It consisted of Lakewood, Brick, and Toms River, and the shore towns of Lavallette, Mantoloking, Bay Head, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, Ocean Gate, Point Pleasant Beach, and Point Pleasant.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates


District 11

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • George Callas

General election

Candidates

  • George Callas
  • Stan Johnson
  • Brian T. Kennedy, incumbent Senator since 1978
    Results

District 12

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Roger J. Kane

General election

Candidates


District 13

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 14

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Thomas Colitsas

General election

Candidates

District 15

Incumbent Senator Joseph Merlino, who had been redistricted from the 13th district, opted to run for Governor of New Jersey.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Sollami had the support of county party chair and power broker Richard J. Coffee.

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates


District 16

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • John F. Guerrera

General election

Candidates

  • John H. Ewing, incumbent Senator since 1978
  • John F. Guerrera
    Results

District 17

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Donald J. Douglas
  • John Giammarco

General election

Candidates

District 18

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

District 19

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Edmund S. Kaboski

General election

Candidates


District 20

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • John Fenick

General election

Candidates


District 21

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates


District 22

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Frank Fiorito

General election

Candidates


District 23

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Samuel J. Gugliemini

General election

Candidates

  • Walter Foran, incumbent Senator since 1977
  • Samuel J. Gugliemini
    Results

District 24

Republican primary

Candidates

The campaign between Albanese and Dumont was possibly the most bitter in the state. Dumont had supported Albanese in his short-lived campaign for governor, only for Albanese to withdraw from that race and challenge Dumont.

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates

  • Wayne Dumont, incumbent Senator since 1968
  • Edward Gaffney
    Results

District 25

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Horace Chamberlain

General election

Candidates

  • Horace Chamberlain
  • John H. Dorsey, incumbent Senator since 1978
    Results

District 26

Republican primary

Candidates

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Benjamin Steltzer

General election

Candidates


District 27

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates


District 28

Democratic primary

Candidates

General election

Candidates


District 29

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Louis J. Smith

General election

Candidates

  • Wynona Lipman, incumbent Senator since 1972
  • Louis J. Smith
    Results

District 30

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • John I. Crecco

General election

Candidates

  • John I. Crecco
  • Arthur Kinoy
  • Carmen Orechio, incumbent Senator since 1974 and mayor of Nutley
    Results

District 31

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Jean C. Lane

General election

Candidates


District 32

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Joseph F. Ward

General election

Candidates